Dentist under investigation for sex assault found dead

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PORTLAND, Ore. – A Portland dentist who was under investigation for sexual assault was found dead in his home on Monday from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.

Joshua Luke Moffitt, 35, was being investigated for multiple sexual assaults of two people who were minors at the time of the incidents. They are now adults.

Police were executing a search warrant at the house in the 1400 block of S.E. 46th Ave. when they found Moffitt's body.

Moffitt was a dentist who worked for the Tooth Taxi, an organization that says it’s used its mobile dental van to treat more than 13,000 children at more than 200 sites across Oregon over the last five years.

Although police said Moffitt knew both of his alleged victims outside his work as a dentist, they said they’re concerned there might be more victims due to Moffitt’s wide exposure to children through his work.

"There may be more victims out there who never knew who the person was or were too scared to say anything, so they never came forward," said Sgt. Pete Simpson. "We want to be able to offer that opportunity to people if they have been victimized."

Moffitt appeared in a video last year supporting water fluoridation.

Moffitt also lived in work in Browning, Mont., in the late 2000s, and police said they believe he might have performed dental work on children during that time.

If you have information about Moffitt or potential victims, contact detective Tracy Chamberlin at (503) 823-0400 or detective Hiedi Housley at (503) 823-0400.